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George Mason highlighted as one of Carnegie’s Opportunity Colleges and Universities

Katarina Benson — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 16:52:10 +0000

George Mason highlighted as one of Carnegie’s Opportunity Colleges and Universities Katarina Benson Wed, 04/23/2025 - 12:52

The Student Access and Earnings Classification recognizes institutions that foster opportunities for student success.

The Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education (ACE) announced Thursday that George Mason Ģ��AV was named to the highest tier of its list of Opportunity Colleges and Universities: Higher Access, Higher Earnings, in recognition of the university’s commitment to accessibility, return on investment, and upward mobility.

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Carnegie said universities earning this distinction “are higher access, higher earnings institutions that can serve as a model for fostering student success,” according to information from the foundation.

“This ranking from Carnegie and ACE reaffirms George Mason’s commitment to providing access to a high-quality education to all students who are academically prepared for the challenges of an R1 institution,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “It reflects our values, our student success rate, and our commitment to graduating students who are prepared to enter the evolving workforce in the commonwealth and beyond.”

The designation is composed of two parts. The access portion refers to Pell Grant recipients and undergraduate students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. In fall 2024, 24% of George Mason undergraduate students were first-generation, and 28% were eligible for federal Pell grants, which is greater than the state average. The fall 2024 incoming class also boasted record enrollment for African American, Hispanic, and international students.

George Mason does not use race-based admissions and admits nearly 90% of applicants. The university’s graduation rate exceeds national graduation rates regardless of race, ethnicity, or wealth status. The university’s ADVANCE partnership with Northern Virginia Community College creates successful transfer pathways for students and reduces or eliminates credit loss in the transfer process, saving students time and money.

The earnings portion of the ranking reflects how much graduates earn compared to their peers in the job market. The methodology for this ranking involves Carnegie’s “calculated comparison values,” which are based on the locations served by the institution, using U.S. census data, Carnegie said. A value of 1 indicates that an institution’s data exactly matches the comparison value. Values greater than 1 therefore show that the institution’s data is higher than the comparison value.

Institutions like George Mason that meet the Opportunity Colleges and Universities criteria (Higher Access, Higher Earnings) have an access ratio at or above 1 and earnings ratio at or higher than 1.5, for baccalaureate and higher institutions.

With an access score of 1.2 and an earnings score of 1.64, George Mason is the only public doctoral university in Virginia to achieve the designation. Marymount, a private doctoral university, also received the designation.

As an institution that has been named the top university in Virginia for value and upward mobility by The Wall Street Journal and U.S. News and World Report, George Mason is a catalyst for student success. U.S. News also named George Mason the top school in Virginia for internships reflecting its commitment to developing the talent needed for today’s dynamic workforce.

George Mason graduates earn among the highest starting salaries of graduates from Virginia public universities, on average about $8,000 more. According to a survey of 2024 George Mason graduates, 85% reported a positive career outcome within six months of graduation. According to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 73% of in-state George Mason graduates launch their careers in Virginia, as do 29% of out-of-state George Mason graduates. That out-of-state figure is 45% higher than the state average of 20%.

In the 2025 classifications, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all classified institutions.

In addition, Carnegie also named George Mason a Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Large institution, as part of its revamped institutional classifications. This classification includes 107 institutions, or 3% of U.S. colleges and universities in the institutional classification.

The “Mixed” portion recognizes the breadth of degrees George Mason offers, with fewer than 50% awarded in any one category. The “Undergraduate/Graduate” portion requires what Carnegie calls “a sufficient focus on the doctorate,” and the “Large” designation is for schools with at least 20,000 students.

George Mason is one of 107 schools nationwide to earn this designation, representing 3% of U.S. colleges and universities in this institutional classification.

The Carnegie Classifications are updated every three years, with the next scheduled for spring 2028. More information is available here.

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Cyber sweep: George Mason students take top three spots in national transportation cybersecurity competition

Teresa Donnellan — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 14:42:35 +0000

Cyber sweep: George Mason students take top three spots in national transportation cybersecurity competition Teresa Donnellan Thu, 03/27/2025 - 10:42

"I'm going to teach you how to hack a modern car," said George Mason Ģ��AV professor Tanvir Arafin to the fall 2024 cohort of CYSE 465 Transportation Systems Design. Arafin not only introduced his students to such exciting concepts in transportation security, but he also incorporated the opportunity to participate in a nationwide cybersecurity competition into his course.

The entire class of 12 from the Department of Cyber Security Engineering chose to participate in the optional assignment and several won first, second, and third place at the National Transportation Cybersecurity Competition (NTCC) in November 2024. George Mason’s Finn Schaefer won first place; the team of Noor Mohammed, Sonia Shaukat, Caleb Hughston, and Kayleigh Batchos won second place; and Navraj Singh Gill won third place.

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The national competition was open to all university students, both undergraduate and graduate, who could participate individually or in teams of up to four, guided by a faculty advisor. This year’s competition was titled “CYBER-CARE Challenge 2024: Securing the Future of Transportation.”

Participants faced a series of cybersecurity challenges, including password cracking, traffic management system exploitation, Vigenère cipher decryption, SQL injection vulnerability identification, cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, and vehicle trajectory anomaly detection. They had a few weeks to complete the challenges remotely.

Arafin developed CYSE 465 by integrating real-world scenarios and cutting-edge research findings from his lab. He has been working in hardware and cyber-physical systems security with a key focus on cybersecurity issues of autonomous and transportation systems. CYSE 465 covers understanding data, communication, operating systems, control, and security primitives used in today's vehicles for safe and intelligent control and navigation.

“The course offers a unique perspective on the cyber vulnerabilities that emerge from the security-oblivious modernization of transportation systems,” said Arafin.

While he has taught the course since 2022, this was the first time he incorporated the competition into the course. Arafin noted that such competition participation can greatly enhance students’ resumes, and first-place winner Schaefer, a busy student, greatly appreciated the chance to participate.

“This was actually the first competition that I've competed in,” he said, explaining that it’s hard to find time for such activity outside of school and work. Schaefer’s favorite challenge at the NTCC involved assessing vehicle datasets to detect problems or attacks. He drew from his personal interest in machine learning to solve the challenge.

“I've worked with machine learning models a lot in my own personal projects, but I've never had an applicable use for it,” said Schaefer. “So, it was interesting to actually see my work have real meaning to it for once. I was able to do something pretty cool.”

Through courses like CYSE 465, which bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, the Department of Cyber Security Engineering is fostering a new generation of cybersecurity professionals who are well-equipped to secure the future of transportation systems.

"The students’ competition performance is a very compelling argument on the benefits of bringing the results and lessons learned in the research lab directly to the classroom, something many CYSE faculty are doing," said Paulo Costa, the department's faculty chair.

The achievements of George Mason students at the NTCC highlight the importance of this approach. By bringing state-of-the-art research directly to the classroom, the Department of Cyber Security Engineering is preparing students to become leaders in the field. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, the department's innovative educational strategies will ensure that its graduates are ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

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College of Public Health is fueling the pipeline for nutrition professionals

Taylor Thomas — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 12:49:46 +0000

College of Public Health is fueling the pipeline for nutrition professionals Taylor Thomas Mon, 08/05/2024 - 08:49

George Mason's first cohort of graduates had a 100% pass rate on the RD certification exam—and every student was immediately employed as an RD.

Eli Kalman-Rome is the first George Mason Ģ��AV graduate to pass the Registered Dietitian (RD) exam and become a credentialed RD in Virginia. Kalman-Rome was part of the first cohort to graduate from the new Master of Science in Nutrition, dietetics concentration program in May.

Kalman-Rome asserts his Mason education was paramount to this achievement. His prior experiences at George Mason left no question of the College’s capacity to facilitate his academic success.

“I did my master's at George Mason previously and trusted the university to provide a solid education with caring and competent faculty,” said Kalman-Rome.

To pass the RD examination, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics requires students to demonstrate competencies in the principles of dietetics, nutrition care for individuals and groups, management of food and nutrition programs, and food service systems. While the typical pass rate for this for this prestigious exam is 70%, George Mason's first cohort of graduates had a 100% pass rate—and every student was immediately employed as an RD. "These impressive statistics are a testament to how effectively the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies' MS, Nutrition Dietetic Concentration program prepares students for the RD exam and for the job market. We are proud of our first cohort of graduates and eager to grow this program to meet today's demand," said Martin Binks, PhD, MBA, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies.

“George Mason not only provided the didactic and internship components I needed to be successful at the RD exam, but it has made me competitive as a hiring candidate. The classes laid a solid foundation for my skills and knowledge, and the internship placements for the program were varied, interesting, and provided real-life experience that helped me understand how dietetics is used professionally,” Kalman-Rome said.

In addition to setting him up for academic success, Kalman-Rome praises the College for preparing him to enter the field as a nutrition dietetics professional with an appreciation for nutrition’s role in public health.

“Adequate nutrition is instrumental to public health outcomes because it's impossible to remain healthy without it. Nutrition impacts all stages of life, from fetal development, infant mortality, maternal health, success in the classroom for growing children, the incidences of infection and disease, shortened lifespan from chronic diseases, but it is also a critical aspect of culture. Sharing food is a way of caring for each other and passing down our traditions and beliefs, nutrition is not only about physical health but also part of a holistic wellness of communities,” he said.

Kalman-Rome recently accepted a position as a Clinical Dietician at HCA Healthcare.

Congratulations, Eli!

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Independent analysis shows Mason is an economic driver to the state while keeping spending low on administrative costs

Colleen Rich — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 22:32:35 +0000

Independent analysis shows Mason is an economic driver to the state while keeping spending low on administrative costs Colleen Rich Wed, 02/28/2024 - 17:32

A recent State Council of Higher Education for Virginia-conducted analysis of Virginia’s public four-year institutions shows George Mason Ģ��AV topping or leading most peers in a variety of metrics, including growth, opportunity, value, efficiency, return on investment, and state economic impact.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of Ģ��AV Branding

The findings in a “fact pack” were compiled by Boston Consulting Group and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Mason President Gregory Washington reviewed the data with the Board of Visitors at the governing body’s Feb. 22 meeting in Merten Hall. The fact packs for all of the state’s public four-year institutions can be found here.

“George Mason is the greatest human development initiative in this state since Reconstruction, and I think the data bears that out,” Washington said. “It is not just special. It is actually unprecedented. We are the shining light on the hill that others should be looking at to say, ‘How do we replicate that?’”

Among the Mason highlights:

Enrollment growth: 2.2% from 2013 to 2022 as Mason solidified its standing as the largest and most diverse public university in the state.
Opportunity/retention/completion: An acceptance rate of 91%, a first-year retention rate of 87%, and a six-year graduation rate of 69%.
Affordability: Cost of attendance, what students pay after financial aid, scholarships and other assistance, increased by 0.4% ($400) between 2018-19 and 2021-22 for in-state undergraduates.
Serving financially challenged students: 32% with Pell recipient status in 2021-22, which is 5% more than the median of Virginia four-year public universities.
Efficiency: Mason ranks at or near the bottom in administrative cost per student and administrative/instructional cost ratio among the state’s four-year public institutions.
State economic impact: 73% of in-state Mason graduates stay in Virginia—3% higher than public four-year institutions in the state—and earn among the highest-paying salaries. For out-of-state Mason students, 29% remain in Virginia after graduation, 9% higher than the state average.

“There is no better investment of taxpayer dollars from an ROI perspective relative to George Mason, and I can make that claim based on these results,” Washington said. “If you were going to paint a picture of what you want an academic institution to be for this state and nation, you would get an institution that looks like this one.”

Video of the Feb. 22 meeting can be accessed here and meeting materials here.

Other highlights from the meeting:

The Office of Safety, Emergency, and Enterprise Risk Management (SEERM) is now Risk, Safety, and Resilience and will be led by Chief Risk Officer Julie Zobel, former associate vice president for SEERM. Zobel is leading the university’s updated Enterprise Risk Assessment and will report directly to the president. Look for a future story with details in an upcoming issue of The George email newsletter.
The Governor’s Office has approved the incentive retirement plan that Mason had submitted.
Deb Dickenson, executive vice president for finance and administration, and Rose Pascarell, vice president for Ģ��AV Life, will host a town hall March 21 to engage students about a proposed tuition increase, which would be capped at 3% for in-state undergraduate students.
Keith Renshaw, senior associate provost for undergraduate education, provided an overview of the history, process, and course review status for the Mason Core including the new Just Societies course requirement scheduled to begin fall 2024 for new students. Mason Core courses are designed to “meet the needs of employers, students themselves, our state and region and society at large” and to fulfill accreditation requirements, Renshaw said. Following the BOV meeting, Mason Rector Horace Blackman created a university committee in response to questions raised by BOV members about the process of developing the new Mason Core requirements to continue the conversation and report back with recommendations at the next BOV meeting in May.
Research expenditures are up 31.2% in FY24, said Andre Marshall, vice president for research, innovation, and economic impact.

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George Mason Ģ��AV Engages Accenture to Transform Student Experience with Salesforce Education Cloud

John Hollis — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 19:11:34 +0000

George Mason Ģ��AV Engages Accenture to Transform Student Experience with Salesforce Education Cloud John Hollis Tue, 02/27/2024 - 14:11

George Mason Ģ��AV and Accenture finalized a two-year agreement to roll out Salesforce Education Cloud and new marketing solutions as part of the university’s efforts to transform the student experience.

Enabling improved data-driven, connected, and streamlined processes, Mason and Accenture will initially focus on data alignment through two Education Cloud tools: Student Success and Recruitment and Admissions. Accenture will also identify and deploy additional marketing and communication tools to enhance these applications.

“As we build a more modern university for Virginia’s largest and most diverse student body, Mason is committed to delivering a comprehensive and unparalleled student experience and the best education outcomes for all," said Ken Walsh, Mason’s interim provost and executive vice president. “Accenture’s experience customizing and integrating Salesforce Education Cloud into existing systems will help advance the university’s goals to comprehensively support students at every step of their academic journey at Mason and beyond.”

In March 2023, Mason issued a request for proposal for a strategic partner to improve Mason’s student lifecycle management with Salesforce Education Cloud, selecting Accenture as a result of the procurement process.

“Higher education leaders recognize the opportunities to redesign the student journey, from recruitment through graduation and beyond, by focusing on the moments that matter to each individual,” said David Metnick, Accenture public sector and education lead for Virginia. “Mason’s move to the cloud will substantially strengthen its digital core, allowing it to deliver excellent student services and meet ever-evolving needs as new tools and opportunities emerge.”

Accenture will integrate the new technology into the university’s existing infrastructure, consolidating data and operations. This will provide faculty and staff with tools to improve collaboration by connecting and streamlining diverse information and processes. It will also help Mason support students’ individual needs and provide educational opportunities to ensure their success.

“Our mission at Salesforce is to empower institutions with the tools they need to deliver better student experiences and outcomes,” said Balakrishnan Subramanian, VP & GM of Education at Salesforce. “We’re excited to see George Mason and Accenture work together to implement Salesforce Education Cloud to create a student-first experience for learners, increase enrollment, and improve the admissions process.”

“We are excited to embark on this journey with Accenture,” added Renate Guilford, Mason’s vice president for academic administration. “Together we’ll build an integrated system that enhances Mason’s technological framework while keeping our students at the center of our operations.”

About George Mason Ģ��AV

George Mason Ģ��AV is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 743,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com. For more information on the Accenture and Salesforce relationship, visit www.accenture.com/salesforce.

# # #

Contacts:

Joe Dickie
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512-694-6422
Joseph.r.dickie@accenture.com

John Hollis
George Mason Ģ��AV
571-396-1578
Jhollis2@gmu.edu

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Inspired By the Care of Mason Nurses

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 02 May 2022 14:27:36 +0000

Inspired By the Care of Mason Nurses Mary Cunningham Mon, 05/02/2022 - 10:27

Family members’ time in hospitals with caring nurses inspired Sarah Ringham to start and continue her nursing education

Caring nurses inspired Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) senior Sarah Ringham at a young age. She saw the impact that warm and compassionate nurses had on her family and knew it was the profession for her.

Ringham aims to be a pediatric oncology nurse so she can support children and families. When she was in elementary school, nurses cared for her sister, who has now been in remission from brain cancer for 13 years. She knows what a difference a great nurse can make and intends to provide the best care.

“I got into nursing by caring for my sister, and not only because of her, but because of the wonderful nurses who cared for her. They were so nice and amazing, and I enjoyed watching them work,” said Ringham. “I want to make it easier for other families in the hospital who are going through the same thing my family went through.”

Her sisters nurses are also a big reason she chose to attend Mason. Ringham says most of the nurses she talked to went to Mason and recommended the program.

Unfortunately, her sister is not the only family member to inspire her future career. During the fall of her senior year (Fall 2021), her stepfather passed away from a breakthrough case of COVID-19 (he caught the virus even though he was vaccinated). This, along with the shift to remote and hybrid learning because of the pandemic, changed her world and she considered leaving the program. She even mentioned the possibility to her professors, who wanted her to stay, but supported her in what was best for her.

“I was this close to dropping out of the nursing program because my family needed me. I was still doing classes and most of my schoolwork, but I was so afraid if I didn’t drop out that it would negatively affect my family,” she said. “My mom told me to stay in school. She said, ‘your dad would be so upset if you left. You’re so close to graduating.’” So Ringham stayed in school and is glad for it.

A New Spark

The loss of her stepfather greatly impacted how she viewed life, especially nursing, and gave her a new motivation for her education.

“I came back with a new mindset that I absolutely had to finish. The new mindset included a new flame to do everything to the best of my ability,” she said.

In addition to participating in the Student Nurses Association and Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society (academic honor society founded to recognize high-achieving students with disabilities), Ringham spends her time in the Virtual Reality (VR) and Simulation Lab, where her voice is famous. As a Simulation Lab Assistant, she moderates VR and mannequin-based simulations, talking and reacting as the patient, with other students. After a student goes through a scenario, the debrief process includes watching a recording of another person who has completed the scenario, which allows students to see how to improve their practice. The scenario is a recording of Sarah completing the training.

“Hi, My name is Sarah, and I’m going to be your nurse” is her most used line in the scenarios and she has had other students recognize her because of her voice. She has found that she enjoys the teaching and supporting aspects of working in the lab.

“I want to make it easier for other families in the hospital who are going through the same thing my family went through.”

Ringham is glad she committed to her last semester and is excited to graduate in May. She thinks her new attitude is the reason the Nursing faculty awarded her with the Rita M. Carty Academic Achievement Award.

Just like the nurses she encountered, Ringham recommends Mason’s School of Nursing to anyone interested.

“Honestly, do it and give it your all. If you like nursing and medicine, this is the school for you. The faculty are so into student education and finding ways to improve,” said Ringham. “If you want to do nursing, go for it. It’s an amazing field and there’s a lot of great resources at Mason.”

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Senior of the Year graduates as a leader at Mason and at home

Colleen Rich — Tue, 04 May 2021 16:46:08 +0000

Senior of the Year graduates as a leader at Mason and at home Colleen Rich Tue, 05/04/2021 - 12:46

Senior of the Year Isabella Bah began her Mason journey as a student in the Early Identification Program. Photo provided

Isabella Bah, who graduates this month with a degree in accounting and a minor in entrepreneurship, is described as a motivated and determined leader by her mentors at George Mason Ģ��AV.

Bah “is special because she embodies resilience and perseverance,” said Rhina Alvarado, associate director of Mason’s Early Identification Program (EIP), in which Bah, a first-generation student, participated beginning in the eighth grade.

“She knows the challenges many first-generation students face, and is committed to pay it forward by mentoring other first-generation students and serving as a role model to her peers,” Alvarado said.

Bah has been recognized by the Mason's Alumni Association as the Senior of the Year.

“I love the sense of community at Mason,” said Bah, a member of Mason’s Honors College. “I have had a lot of opportunities here, and I have worked hard.”

Bah has excelled at Mason, winning awards and finding leadership positions in which she has helped other students and the entire Mason community.

She earned the EagleBank Scholarship in Entrepreneurship and the Cardinal Bank Endowed Scholarship. Bah served as treasurer and then president of the African Student Association. She served as chairperson for Mason’s Student Chapter Reporting and Evaluation Program for the National Association of Black Accountants.

Bah serves as the treasurer and fundraising chairperson for a local nonprofit organization, Safe Haven Space, that helps provide mental health and wellness resources to immigrant and refugee communities. In high school, Bah participated in a variety of volunteer activities, such as providing food for the homeless.

“She often comes to my office after rushing from one leadership meeting to another, to let me know of more ways for students to get involved and, of course, to review her courses,” said Malerie Gamblin, Bah’s academic advisor in the School of Business.

Bah, of Woodbridge, Virginia, said it was her participation in EIP that made her determined to attend Mason.

“Through EIP, I knew the resources and opportunities available to me,” Bah said. “I was pretty set on coming to Mason. I also knew it wasn’t too far from home, and that attracted me too.”

EIP provides access to educational resources for middle and high school students who will be first in their families to attend college. It provided Bah with friends and mentors that helped ease her transition from high school.

“I already had my EIP family and that gave me strength,” Bah said. “As I grew at Mason, I ventured out into other groups and was able to foster relationships that made my years here much more enjoyable.”

Bah, who has two younger sisters, stayed active in EIP, serving as the budget assistant and as a mentor for the middle and high school students in the program.

“I’m glad my sisters were able to see all I was able to accomplish, and that has helped them to envision what they can accomplish,” Bah said. “My parents want us to have a better life, and so to see me excel makes them very happy.”

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Athletic training and perseverance: How a graduating senior is preparing for the future

Colleen Rich — Tue, 04 May 2021 15:40:39 +0000

Athletic training and perseverance: How a graduating senior is preparing for the future Colleen Rich Tue, 05/04/2021 - 11:40

Graduating senior Destini Manuel aspires to become a surgeon. Photo provided

Graduating senior Destini Manuel is fully dedicated to saving lives.

“I know it’s my purpose here on Earth,” the athletic training major and aspiring cardiothoracic surgeon said.

It is a notable pivot for the first-generation student and Toledo, Ohio, native, who had to concentrate on herself her senior year, including going out of state to finish her coursework.

COVID-19 limited practicum opportunities in the Washington, D.C., metro area, so Manuel, with the blessing of her program, relocated to New Orleans, where she is doing fieldwork connected to the Ģ��AV of New Orleans and Dillard Ģ��AV.

The detour, and the expenses she is bearing from her life savings, will not change Manuel’s graduation this month as a member of Mason’s Honors College and recipient of the Kyle Wilson Memorial Scholarship from the College of Education and Human Development for excellence in her major.

“I feel accomplished,” Manuel said. “I’ve done something no one in my family has been able to do.”

“I know she is going to break ceilings, so I have big expectations for her within the profession,” said Heather Murphy, an adjunct professor in Mason’s Athletic Training Education Program. “I saw her in the classroom, and she was a standout.”

Manuel attributes her perseverance to guidance from her grandmother, Patsy Bolden.

“My grandmother always told me, ‘learn as much as you can because knowledge is something no one can take away from you,’ ” Manuel said. “She said life is going to be hard, but as long as you know something you will make it through.”

Manuel discovered Mason the summer after her sophomore year in high school when she attended an Envision leadership conference in the Washington, D.C., area, which included a trip to Mason.

When applying to colleges, Manuel recalled her trip to Fairfax.

“It was time for me to be independent, grow up and mold myself,” she said, and added, “I love that Mason is very diverse and made me feel like home. You can be as different as you want and still find people that fit you.”

Manuel was vice president of the Mason Athletic Training Society, and participated in Women of Color in STEM, the Black Student Alliance, the Kinesiology Club and Catholic Campus Ministry. She was a member of the Alpha Lambda Honor Society, worked as a Mason Ambassador, and was a resident assistant for the upper-level Honors College Living Learning Community.

“I’ll be traveling and have on my Mason gear, and people are, like, ‘Oh, my son heard about Mason, tell me something about it,’ ” Manuel said. “And I’m, like, ‘Of course, where do I start?’ ”

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Mason business students gain friendship and experience at CFA Ethics Challenge

Colleen Rich — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 21:17:24 +0000

Mason business students gain friendship and experience at CFA Ethics Challenge Colleen Rich Thu, 04/08/2021 - 17:17

Amber Wilkins, a junior at George Mason Ģ��AV, transferred from Northern Virginia Community College in the middle of the pandemic. She wasn’t able to meet people and make friends or get involved in school activities the way she would normally.

And then came the CFA Washington Ethics Challenge. The opportunity, as Wilkins put it, allowed her to meet in a virtual environment with a group of four other students also interested in finance to work for a month on a competition. In the process, Wilkins said, she made friends and had fun in a subject that interests her.

Her team, which competed in a virtual environment in March, also came in first place over two challengers, another group from Mason and a group from Johns Hopkins Ģ��AV.

“I thought it would be a cool opportunity, and it really was,” said Wilkins, a School of Business student with a concentration in finance. “Overall, it was a fantastic experience. For some reason, our group was just all on the same page and wanted to work hard and really supported each other. And then when we won, we got to see that hard work really does pay off.”

Wilkins said she enjoyed the friendly working atmosphere, especially in a pandemic.

“We made a point of keeping our cameras on while we were working together so that we could see each other and have some interaction,” said Wilkins.

The CFA Washington Ethics Challenge, in its inaugural year, presented local finance students with the opportunity to examine a case containing several ethical dilemmas and then present their analysis and advice to a panel of judges. Steve Pilloff, associate professor of finance, mentioned the competition to his students hoping some of them would be interested in participating.

To his surprise, there was enough interest to create two teams—Mason Gold and Mason Green.

“I’m really proud that so many Mason students chose to participate,” said Pilloff. “Despite the pandemic, these students are moving forward with their lives. They saw an opportunity to do something challenging, and they seized upon that opportunity.”

For the competition, each student group presented their analysis for 10 minutes. During the week before, Pilloff sat in virtually on some of their practices. Pilloff added that all the students showed enthusiasm for the competition and dedicated their time to working as a group.

Summer Nasir, another finance student and member of the winning team, said she appreciated looking at ethical challenges she may face during her career.

“At Mason, we talk a lot about ethical questions, so it’s obviously really important to understand,” said Nasir. “I liked thinking about these questions and trying to answer them as a way to help me better understand what to do when I face ethical dilemmas in my career.”

The other members of the winning team were Valerie Mayer, Katherine Vargas Medina and Ama Obeng.

Mason finance students also competed in the CFA Research Challenge, which was sponsored by CFA Virginia. Pilloff said that competing in any of the challenges provides students with opportunities to further develop and showcase their skills to an audience of finance professionals.

Pilloff expects Mason students to participate in the ethics challenge again next year.

“We got a big trophy, but we only get it for a year, so next year, we’re going to have to defend it,” said Pilloff.

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Breaking down barriers and making connections through networking

rlebreto@gmu.edu — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 22:29:00 +0000

Breaking down barriers and making connections through networking rlebreto@gmu.edu Wed, 04/07/2021 - 18:29

From left, Soraya Ngarnim, Chanel Grice and LaNitra Berger meeting on campus in 2019. Photo provided

The number of Black women entering the foreign service and STEM PhD programs is low. A GAO report said just 3% percent of State Department workers were Black women in 2018, and the National Center for Education Statistics reported that just 10.9% of doctoral degrees awarded in the 2018-19 went to Black women.

But current George Mason Ģ��AV student Soraya Ngarnim and alumna Chanel Grice were determined to overcome those barriers.

With the guidance of LaNitra Berger, senior director of Mason’s Office of Fellowships, and thanks to a happenstance meeting between them, Ngarnim and Grice are fulfilling their dreams and helping promote the ideals of International Black Women’s History Month, which celebrates the achievements and rich histories of the past present and futures of Black women.

Berger said she takes seriously responsibility of guiding Black female students, and that networks for Black women are powerful and oftentimes underestimated.

“I think what’s important for the larger community to see is that young Black women at Mason are doing hard work, getting things done and being successful,” Berger said. “And the university is better for it.”

Grice was a sophomore at Mason in 2014, majoring in global affairs. The daughter of a military officer, she had already lived in multiple countries and wanted to study in Japan. But Grice struggled to find financial assistance. A fellow student suggested she speak with Berger, who introduced Grice to the Boren and Rangel scholarships.

“Dr. Berger gave me books, magazines and other items to help me enrich my studies while showing me how I could follow my vision without the financial capabilities,” said Grice, who earned a Boren scholarship in 2015 and a Rangel fellowship in 2018.

After graduating from Mason in 2017 in bachelor’s degrees in global affairs and economics, Grice earned her master’s in international economics and development from Johns Hopkins Ģ��AV. In June she heads to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam for her first two-year appointment with the U.S. Foreign Service.

It was in 2017, while working as an intern at the U.S. embassy in Dakar, Senegal, that Grice met Ngarnim, who also worked at the embassy and was transferring to Mason from Howard Community College. Ngarnim, who will graduate from Mason in May with a biochemistry degree, grew up in Chad, where she was a top student but was shut out of advanced math and physics classes because, as she said she was told, the classes were “too hard” for females.

“That weighed on me, so I pushed and was the only female in those classes in my last year of secondary school,” Ngarnim said. “I know what I can do.”

Ngarmin’s determination prompted Grice to recommend she contact Berger at Mason. Ngarnim said her weekly conversations with Berger helped grow her confidence and realize graduate school is her next step.

“We Black women are more than competent to do any of these positions, and the more advice I have given, the more determined I have become,” Grice said. “I am not lacking. I am in a field where I am underrepresented, but I am confident, and I am here for a reason.”

Ngarnim feels the same as she heads for Rochester, New York, where she has a full scholarship to pursue a PhD in biochemistry at the Ģ��AV of Rochester. Being part of a group that is underrepresented in STEM fields only emboldens her, she said.

“I have always looked for challenges,” Ngarnim said. “I’ve learned that the further you get in your education and career, you have to expect the diversity to narrow. So by getting out of my comfort zone I can pave the way for others.”

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Breaking down barriers and making connections through networking

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